EAST ST. LOUIS — A class of consumers is suing Dreyer's Ice Cream for allegedly adding coconut milk to its milk chocolate in the Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars, claiming they expect the product to "only contain chocolate."
Patricia Zurliene, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a complaint June 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc., alleging violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, negligent misrepresentation and other claims.
Zurliene alleges in the class action that Dreyers is misleading consumers through the marketing and product labeling of its Vanilla Milk Chocolate ice cream bars sold under the Haagen-Dazs brand. Specifically, the plaintiff claims Dreyer's falsely represents that its product's coating is "rich milk chocolate" when it contains ingredients not found in chocolate, such as coconut oil, and that consumers expect the milk chocolate portion of the product to "only contain chocolate."
She further claims consumers expect a large selling brand such as Haagen-Dazs to be consistent with its product labeling and the actual ingredients. Zurliene alleges consumers have been harmed because the product is "worth much less" than what they paid.
Zurliene seeks monetary relief, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC in Great Neck, N.Y.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:21-CV-00747-DWD